CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 9-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1696

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Lower the age of who may drive commercially within the State from nineteen to eighteen;

(2) Repeal the requirement that a person only operates category 3 vehicles to qualify to drive commercially in the State;

(3) Prohibit a person under twenty-one years of age from operating a commercial motor vehicle outside of a registered apprenticeship program as determined by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations or a structured, on-the-job training program administered by the person's employer that meets certain requirements; and

(4) Require the Department of Transportation to amend its rules to lower the minimum age required for a commercial driver's license.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing its effective date to upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1696, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair	____________________________ DARIUS KILA Co-Chair
____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair	____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair